Barnwood thieves hit Barren County farms

GLASGOW, Ky. – The Barren County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft of barnwood off of the sides of barns in remote areas of Barren County.

“Some folks buy it, redo it and sell it for flooring,” Barren County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Houchens said.

“We had a surge on this a couple of years ago,” Houchens said. “Apparently now it’s starting back up.”

Four barns have been hit on Mayhew Road in the last few days. Barns that are in use have to be repaired to protect the contents whether it is straw, hay or equipment.

One farmer is going to be out $1,000 to repair his barn and another is expecting a harder financial hit because more damage was done, Houchens said.

Wood thieves are going into areas of the county where traffic is light. They pull the wood off of the backs of the barns in areas not seen from the road.

Deputies are patrolling the backroads at night looking for people hauling large amounts of barnwood and are asking the public to call and report anyone they see hauling large amounts of barnwood after dark.

The public is asked to report suspicious activity or any information related to these thefts to deputies at 270.651.2761. After hours, a deputy may be reached through dispatch at 270.651.5151.